Psychology Degree Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield Psychology Degree facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. Which concept describes the tendency for individuals to exert less effort when working in a group than when working alone? → Social loafing
2. During an action potential, what event occurs during the depolarization phase? → Sodium ions rush into the cell through voltage-gated channels
3. Which condition involves intentionally producing or feigning physical or psychological symptoms to assume the sick role, with no external incentives? → Factitious Disorder
4. Which specifier was added to Major Depressive Disorder in DSM-5 to describe grief-like depression after a loved one's death? → With anxious distress
5. Which experimental paradigm is most commonly used to study false memory formation, where participants 'remember' words never actually presented? → Deese-Roediger-McDermott (DRM) paradigm
6. What distinguishes a quasi-experiment from a true experiment? → Quasi-experiments do not involve random assignment to conditions
7. Which theoretical model of abnormal behavior emphasizes the role of classical and operant conditioning in the development of psychological disorders? → Behavioral model
8. A client with Somatic Symptom Disorder differs from a client with Illness Anxiety Disorder primarily in that the former: → Has significant physical symptoms with excessive thoughts and behaviors about them
9. Which neurotransmitter system is most directly implicated in the emotional enhancement of memory consolidation, particularly for fear-based memories? → Norepinephrine acting on the amygdala
10. Which defense mechanism involves unconsciously attributing one's own unacceptable thoughts or impulses to other people? → Projection
11. A study component in which the subject receives the whole protocol outlining the experiment. → Experimental condition
12. Which research method allows researchers to determine cause-and-effect relationships between variables? → Controlled experiment
13. A therapist-researcher publishes a case study about a client without changing any identifying details. Which ethical principle is violated? → Confidentiality
14. The phenomenon where the first items in a list are best remembered is called the: → Primacy effect
15. The 'foot-in-the-door' technique works primarily because of which psychological principle? → Commitment and consistency
16. Which endocrine gland is often called the 'master gland' because it regulates other glands in the body? → Pituitary gland
17. Which brain structure is most closely associated with processing fear responses and emotional memories? → Amygdala
18. What structure connects the left and right cerebral hemispheres, allowing communication between them? → Corpus callosum
19. Which sampling method gives every member of a population an equal chance of being selected for a study? → Simple random sampling
20. A veteran re-experiences a combat trauma through intrusive flashbacks and avoids anything associated with the event. Which DSM-5 diagnosis best applies? → Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
21. The concept of 'learned helplessness' was first demonstrated experimentally by which psychologist? → Martin Seligman
22. In Latané and Darley's research on bystander intervention, which factor most directly explains why individuals fail to act in large groups? → Diffusion of responsibility
23. According to the DSM-5, which specifier can be applied to Major Depressive Disorder when symptoms follow a seasonal pattern? → With seasonal pattern
24. According to expectancy-value theory, motivation is determined by: → The expectation of success and the value placed on the goal
25. What is the primary distinction between acute stress disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) according to the DSM-5? → Duration of symptoms after the traumatic event
26. Which brain imaging technique measures changes in blood oxygenation to map neural activity in real time? → fMRI
27. Basking in reflected glory (BIRGing) is a phenomenon in which people: → Associate themselves publicly with successful others to boost self-image
28. Which DSM-5 disorder is characterized by persistent deficits in social communication and restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior? → Autism Spectrum Disorder
29. A psychologist surveys 500 college students about their study habits and GPA. Which correlation coefficient indicates the strongest relationship? → r = -0.87
30. Which brain structure is primarily responsible for processing and consolidating emotional memories, especially fear? → Amygdala